International Travel Policy

Overview

This policy requires individuals to register their university-related international travel.

Purpose

Northern Illinois University (NIU) encourages international travel to support global engagement in academic exploration, study, and degree programs; for institutional collaborations and cross-cultural exchange; in pursuit of research, scholarship and artistry; and for other activities.

Through this policy, NIU aims to mitigate potential risks to faculty, staff, students, and volunteers who engage in such university-related international travel. The University also seeks to strengthen individual and institutional compliance with relevant regulations and laws.

Definitions

International Travel

In this policy, international travel refers to travel to destinations outside the fifty states of the U.S. and the District of Columbia, including the U.S. territories and travel through international waters which are considered international travel for enrollment in supplemental travel insurance.

University-Related Travel

University-related travel includes traveling for purposes or activities related to the University and/or traveling with NIU property.

• For faculty and staff, University-related purposes and activities include, but are not limited to, faculty-led study abroad programs, faculty-led research abroad programs, business trips, conferences, faculty exchanges, teaching, research, service, or sabbaticals. University-related travel is not restricted to travel receiving University funding, although any travel being paid or reimbursed in whole or in part by the university is university-related. Travel when the university is closed or when faculty and staff are off contract (e.g., summer months for academic year employees) should be registered when meeting the definition of university-related travel (i.e., for purposes or activities related to the University or when NIU property is transported).
• For students, purposes and activities include, but are not limited to, study abroad programs, research abroad programs, internships, externships, training, student teaching, university service, conferences, or travel by registered student organizations, club sports, or varsity athletic teams. These include both credit and noncredit-bearing activities and any activity receiving University financial support.

NIU Property

NIU property includes any devices or items purchased with NIU funds, including those purchased with departmental, grant, contract, gift, or donor funds. NIU property also includes university owned digital and intellectual property. Examples of NIU property include information (data, technology, schematics, etc.), equipment (including NIU laptops, software, cell phones, etc.), and services (including conference presentations).

International Travel Safety Advisory Board

The International Travel Safety Advisory Board (ITSAB) is constituted to implement this policy. The board is comprised of members of relevant university functional areas such as international affairs, study abroad, general counsel, risk management, and research compliance.

Higher Safety/Health Risk Travel Advisory Areas

In this policy, a country or sub-division of a country will be designated a higher safety/health risk travel advisory area, if any of the following apply:

• The U.S. Department of State has issued a travel advisory for a country, or region of a country, to reconsider travel (Level 3) or do not travel (Level 4);
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel health notice to avoid all travel (Level 4) or reconsider nonessential travel (Level 3) to a country, or region of a country;
• The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost has prohibited travel to a country, or region of a country, by NIU travelers subject to this policy, including based on guidance, feedback or recommendations from the International Travel Safety Advisory Board.
• The International Travel Safety Advisory Board has otherwise deemed the area higher health/safety risk.

Export Control

For purposes of this policy, export control means one or both of the following:

• Travel by U.S. persons (as defined by applicable laws) to nations subject to U.S. embargoes or sanctions.
• Taking, sending, or sharing of any export-controlled commodities, technology, technical data, information, or software outside of the U.S.

Policy

Action Required at Least 30 Days in Advance of International Travel

All faculty, staff, students, and volunteers planning university-related international travel must register their travel in accordance with the Procedures for Registering International Travel. Registering travel is separate and distinct from securing budgetary authorization for reimbursement of travel costs. All international travelers subject to this policy should initiate the travel registration process at least 30 days in advance of travel. Ticket purchases and other nonrefundable expenses related to the proposed travel should not be completed prior to registration.

Additional Time Needed for Higher Health/Safety Risk Area

Additional time may be needed for responding to suggestions and questions from the International Travel Safety Advisory Board when traveling to higher health/safety risk areas. Registration at least six weeks in advance of travel is recommended. Additional time should be allowed if travel is during a period when the university is closed, such as winter break. If the travel is to a Higher Health/Safety Risk Area, review and approval of registration by ITSAB should be complete before ticket purchases and other nonrefundable expenses.

Additional Time Needed for Export Control Licenses

Certain specialized technology and intellectual property that travelers plan to take abroad may require that the traveler obtain a license to do so. Travel to countries or areas subject to sanctions or embargoes may also require a license. Obtaining a license can take considerable time, sometimes more than 6 months. Travelers are encouraged to register as soon as they are considering travel to allow for possible licensing needs.

Supplemental Information Needed When Traveling to Higher Safety/Health Risk Advisory Areas

Travelers to Higher Safety/Health Risk Travel Advisory Areas must submit supplemental information that characterizes travel risks, justifies the travel necessity to their work or study, acknowledges additional risks of travel, and documents plans for mitigating risks.

The International Travel Safety Advisory Board will make a recommendation to approve or deny the request to travel to such locations to the Executive Vice President and Provost, or their designee, who has the final authority for deciding if the travel will be permitted.

For students, supplemental approval of travel to Higher Safety/Health Risk Travel Advisory Areas must be obtained from the chair/director of the student traveler’s major department(s).

NIU will not require NIU faculty, staff, student or volunteer to travel to a Higher Safety/Health Risk Travel Advisory Area.

Faculty, Staff, and Students Traveling on NIU-approved Study Abroad Credit-Bearing Programs

Faculty, staff, and students participating in NIU-approved Study Abroad credit-bearing programs are not required to register their travel directly, because the Study Abroad Office oversees for their program travel risk mitigation and gathering lists of NIU property (physical, such as laptops and software, or intellectual, such as manuscripts) being taken abroad for potential export control review.

Traveling with NIU Property

Although personal (i.e., not university-related) travel is generally not covered by this policy, any individual who plans to take NIU property during otherwise personal international travel must register. In these situations, the review will primarily focus on export control concerns and safeguarding the NIU property.

Insurance Requirements for International Travel

Personal health insurance policies and insurance provided through NIU to University employees generally provide medical, safety, evacuation, and repatriation benefits that extends to international travel. Questions about coverage and benefits should be directed to the individual’s insurance carrier or the NIU Office of Risk Management.

All NIU students traveling internationally are required to purchase NIU’s supplemental health and safety travel insurance, as are all NIU faculty, staff, students, volunteers, and groups traveling to Higher Safety/Health Risk Travel Advisory Areas. When registering their travel under this policy, travelers will be told of the steps necessary to secure this supplemental health and safety travel insurance. Travelers are responsible for canceling the supplemental insurance prior to their departure date if their trip is cancelled.

Right to Modify, Suspend or Cancel Travel

The University reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel any travel on behalf of the University or its business or interests, prior to departure or in progress, if changed facts or circumstances lead the University to conclude that participation (or continued participation) in the program or travel may jeopardize the health, safety or well-being of the traveler(s), not align with the business or interests of the University or would be inconsistent with applicable U.S. government sanctions, laws or travel advisories.

In such cases when faculty, staff and students are subject to this policy, the International Travel Safety Advisory Board, Executive Vice President and Provost, and other relevant individuals, shall develop in consultation with the faculty, staff, and student traveler(s) a mitigation strategy that preserves the interests of the University, while also considering the interests of those individuals involved.

Consequences of Noncompliance

Failure to comply with this policy may jeopardize:

• Reimbursement for travel expenses, if eligible.
• Receipt of NIU academic, research, or internship credit/experience, if eligible.
• University assistance in the event of an emergency while abroad.
• Compliance with applicable laws and/or NIU policy.